INGLEWOOD, Calif. — No sooner had Michael Bisping claimed one crown on Saturday night than he found himself in immediate danger of losing another.
For close to a decade the British middleweight has been the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s resident heel, a willing bad guy known more for his loud and boorish behavior than any real likelihood of becoming a superstar.
That changed on Saturday night when the 37-year-old suddenly became the top dog in the middleweight division with a huge upset by knocking out Luke Rockhold with a pair of huge power punches just after the midway point of Round 1 in UFC 199’s main event.
And, in that instant, he was given a first-hand example of a principle so ingrained that it should probably be etched in the constitution — America loves a winner. It doesn’t matter if he cusses and boasts and acts like an (expletive), an admission Bisping was content to own up to.
Just win baby, and you can do what you (expletive) want.
The use of the expletives is an attempt to give one an insight into what to expect from Bisping the fighter. The man from Manchester likes a swear word how David Beckham appreciates his hairbrush — it is a necessary tool in the brand and persona.
Now, remarkably, Bisping is not only a champion but, quite possibly, no longer the go-to bad guy, following years of being roundly booed whenever he stalked the octagon or toted a microphone.
That was the only thing he lost on this night, that derision and disdain, this time seeing the crowd at The Forum swallow their jeers and show their appreciation. In an instant, with the punches that crumpled Rockhold, Bisping might have morphed into a Rocky-type figure, the underdog who somehow made his dreams come true against the odds.
In the moments that followed his finest hour, Bisping didn’t yell for Adrienne (though he did, quite sweetly, invite his family into the octagon to celebrate with him). Instead, he laughed and joked and bragged and swore and, most importantly, made fun of himself, calling himself an (expletive) and an (expletive) and (expletive) while enjoying the moment.
"I know I’m an (expletive)," he said. "I can’t help it. But I am just an average guy and this is the greatest thing, apart from my family, that could ever have happened to me."
He taunted Rockhold too, unable to shed the braggadocio after all this time, sniping that continued even into the post-fight media conference more than an hour later and probably all the way to a rematch down the line.
But you can get away with it when you’re the champ, and The Forum chuckled along with him, enjoying the irony and respecting the journey. It was the strangest of roads trodden too, a career-worth of struggle boiled into a mere two weeks of preparation.
Bisping only got his chance because Chris Weidman pulled out with a late neck injury. Weidman and Rockhold were initially slated to repeat their clash from December at UFC 196, which resulted in Rockhold destructively yanking away the title.
"This has been a lifetime’s work, and I understand why people didn’t believe in me, but I knew I could do it," Bisping said. "I have been considered a bad guy over the course of my career. I know I have. I have acted like an idiot. I know I’ve said things and I look back and cringe at some of the things I have said in the past and I will cringe at some of the things I said tonight.
"Everyone wants to be liked, come on, but as a fighter we are trying to generate hype and money. Whether people like you or not, the last thing you want is an indifferent clap when you walk in."
Little chance of that with Bisping. His victory opens options aplenty that will be explored in the weeks and months to come. With his career record against Rockhold now standing at 1-1, a rubber match would seem to be a legitimate option, as would a clash with Weidman or No.1 contender Jacare Souza.
With UFC 205 set for Madison Square Garden in November, the organization might see what having Bisping, Britain’s first ever UFC titleholder, might do for them on an international level.
Weidman hails from the New York area, and British boxing fans have long shown their willingness to hop across the pond to witness one of their own in a scrap. Suggesting a sizeable following may be prepared to rack up some air miles to see Bisping defend his crown would not be far-fetched. Even if it was, who cares? The whole Bisping story is far-fetched, the tale of a bad dude and average fighter who became the loveable rogue and divisional champion with one swing of each fist.
Such things may only be possible in the unpredictable world of the UFC, where the only safe option is to expect the unexpected.
Follow Martin Rogers on Twitter @mrogersUSAT.
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